When I first saw this episode in 2019 I throughly enjoyed it and when I rewatched it in 2023 I enjoyed it even more. But watching it with the 4k transfer with the more accurate colors and exposure is a truly an experience that needs to be had (still working on figuring out how to upload them with subtitles cause each episode is like 3 gigabytes each). Through the reading of Japanese blogs I had found out there was a deeper meaning that went over not only my head but probably most of the modern audiences watching the show now. The mention of nuclear radiation in the episode already clues you in to the referencing of the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. But more subtle than that is a destroyed building when Gyeron arrives on earth. I had no idea what this was supposed to be or why this was there originally. But when you look into it….. Japanese audiences were able to quickly put it together that this building is referenced directly off a real building that was partially destroyed by the nuclear bombs in Japan. Urakami Cathedral was in the center of the Nagasaki bombs. Although it was restored in the 1950s it did not remain by the time of the shows broadcast. It’s as if the writters wanted to show their feelings about the lack of preservation of the tragedy. Not only that but notice how Gyeron has no malicious intent at first when he is wandering around the Cathedral. It is not until he is attacked that he becomes aggressive. The entire episode is full of imagery and symbolism. I wish tokusatsu today could be like this… let alone ultraman. Eiji, Hajime, Noboru and Kazuo Tsuburaya’s style of Ultraman is greatly missed. It seems in the modern era with new gen that depth is traded for more elaborate fight scenes and over arching surface level drama. I feel as though despite episodes like this going over children’s heads at the time that episodes like this are important to have. It’s something you appreciate more over time as you grow older. I feel as though ever since Ultramans ownership changed from a family owned business to a corporate empire that things haven’t been the same. I have noticed much of modern fanbase either hasn’t seen or worse yet has no desire to see the early or even heisei works of Ultraman. Ultra seven episode 26, many episodes of Tiga, episode 29 of Gaia, nearly all of Nexus, even some episodes of Max. All have impactful deep messages and are more than just a giant dude fighting another giant dude. While I think Ultraman is still enjoyable in a new way now. That doesn’t stop me from being disappointed in how the ratio of deep to standard episodes has changed so much. If you have only seen new gen. Please explore outside the bubble. Even the original Ultraman despite its slow start has deep and meaningful episodes too such as episode 20 (from a western viewpoint it is hard to understand but please read some Japanese blogs and you will see how this episode is actually important to the history of Japanese culture). I will attach some images down below comparing the cathedral and the 4k and the standard blu rays image quality.